Bok choy and chicken is a Whole30 stir fry meal of nutritious, sautéed veggies and tender chicken thighs. It’s fresh, flavorful, and a great weeknight dish made mostly with pantry staples.
Sautéed Bok (Pok) Choy and Chicken
Sautéed Bok Choy and Chicken reminds me of most of my childhood meals. (Guyanese people refer to bok choy as “pok choy.”) Add protein to any vegetable, sauté, or “fry up” (if you are Guyanese), serve it over rice, and lunch is served! Most of our vegetables came from the local market, our backyard, or my grandmother’s kitchen garden. Whereas our protein came from local farmers or neighborhood butcher shops. Life was so simple then!
Although much has changed, I still cook this way. Ok, I am mostly eating my protein and vegetables over cauliflower rice. But on any given day of the week, you can find me in the kitchen, cooking up some protein and then adding some vegetables to make a dish that I am serving over rice (for my family). With simple and clean ingredients, recipes like this bok choy chicken stir fry are winners every time.
Why You’ll Love This Bok Choy Chicken Recipe
- Better Than Takeout: Save money and calories with this chicken bok choy recipe.
- Easy Prep: The chicken marinates in just 20 minutes and the stir fry takes less than 30 minutes to make.
- Nutritious Meal: Bok choy is loaded with vitamin C, fiber, and vitamins but it’s also low in calories. And when you make this low carb meal yourself, you control the ingredients so there’s no sugar or artificial ingredients in this recipe.
What is Bok Choy?
Bok Choy is a Chinese cabbage that is commonly used in Asian cuisine, particularly in Chinese and Korean cooking. It’s usually sautéed with seasonings like sesame oil, oyster sauce, and rice vinegar. But it has also gained popularity in other parts of the world due to its mild flavor and crisp texture. In Guyana, it is referred to as pok choy.
Bok choy is known for its distinctive appearance, with dark green, leafy tops and thick, crunchy white stems.
Ingredients for Bok Choy and Chicken
Bok choy chicken is a delicious and nutritious dish that combines tender chicken with fresh bok choy and flavorful seasonings.
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs: Cut it into 2-inch cubes for easy-to-eat bite-sized pieces.
- Bok choy: Washed and chopped up (white stems separated from green leaves).
- Seasoning: I love using pantry staples like onion powder, garlic powder, salt, ground ginger, cayenne pepper, parsley flakes, spicy brown mustard, and tomato paste to season my chicken. There is no need for elaborate fresh herbs or spices. This is a whatever you’ve got kind of dish.
- Coconut aminos: This adds an umami flavor without using soy sauce. It has a slightly sweeter taste.
- Coconut oil: Used to sauté the chicken and bok choy.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Cook Bok Choy with Chicken
Cooking the Chicken
In this recipe, I added some onion powder, garlic powder, salt, ground ginger, coconut aminos, mustard and tomato paste. You can add other spices or leave some out. It’s totally up to you.This is how my mom cooked. We didn’t always have a particular herb or spice when cooking but her meals were still delicious.
A wok, sauté pan or skillet works perfectly for these types of recipes because the heat is evenly distributed through the pan for quick cooking. Cooking this dish on high heat also gives the chicken a bit of a char and amplifies the flavor of the marinade.
Prepping the Bok/Pok Choy
Bok coy is one of those vegetables that can be a bit intimidating but if you want to try something different give this recipe a try. I buy bok choy mostly, from my local Sprouts or even Walmart. But sometimes I get it from the Asian market. At the local supermarket the bok choy has large white stems and smaller green leaves.
I love the green leaves more than the white stems. For instructions on how to separate the leaves, wash the pok choy and cut it up, check out this other recipe for Sautéed Pok Choy. It’s an old one but still a great recipe.
Adding the Bok/Pok Choy
The texture of the white stem part of the bok choy is thicker and more fibrous than the green leaves. Therefore they need more cooking time. I simply separate the white stems from the green leaves when chopping up the bok choy, then I let the white stems cook first before adding the green leaves.
I cook the green stems for a few minutes, 3-5 minutes max. Then I remove the dish from the heat, in order to stop it from cooking further.
The Finished Dish
Next time you go grocery shopping, if you see some bok choy, grab it and make this dish, I promise you won’t regret it!
Storage
Store leftover bok choy chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you want to reheat it, do so on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through.
Tips for the Best Bok Choy Chicken
- Do not overcook bok choy. Cook until they are crisp, but not wilted.
- Bok Choy cooks up very similar to spinach. You may begin with a large pot of bok choy and end up with a spoonful when it is done cooking. To minimize this, I only cook the green stems for a few minutes, for 3-5 minutes max. Then I remove the dish from the heat, to stop it from cooking further.
- Don’t skip the marinade. If you have 30 minutes to spare, it makes all the difference in flavor and texture. Bok choy chicken takes just under 1 hour to make, even with the marinade.
Recipe Variations
- Use fresh herbs instead of dried herbs if you have them on hand.
- Add slices of tomatoes just before adding the bok/pok choy.
- Use pre-made sauces or marinates to amplify the flavor of the protein.
- Switch out the protein; beef, pork, or shrimp are great options.
- Use fresh or frozen spinach if you don’t have access to bok/pok choy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bok choy is a versatile vegetable that pairs well with a variety of proteins, vegetables, and seasoning. Popular choices include carrots, bell peppers, scallions, red pepper flakes, basil, and sesame seeds.
Bok choy has a mild, slightly peppery flavor and crisp texture that closely resembles cabbage.
There are many ways to prepare bok choy. It is often stir-fried with garlic and ginger, added to soups and stews, used in salads, or even grilled.
Bok (Pok) Choy and Chicken
Equipment
- Wok, Sauté Pan or Skillet
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 2 inch cubes
- 3 bunches Bok choy washed and chopped up (white stems separated from green leaves)
- 1 tablespoon onion powder or granulated onions
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon coconut aminos
- 1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- pinch cayenne pepper optional
- parsley flakes optional
Instructions
- Combine chicken, onion powder, garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, coconut aminos, mustard, tomato paste, ground ginger and cayenne pepper and parsley flakes (if using) in a large bowl
- Then mix together well and let marinate for 15 to 20 minutes before cooking
- When ready to cook, add coconut oil to a large wokon high heat
- When oil comes up to temperature at the seasoned/marinated chicken and sauté until the chicken is fully cooked. This should take about 15 minutes
- Next, add the white stems of the bok choy and continue to sauté until it is slightly translucent and a soft
- Then add the green leaves and the remaining salt
- Continue to sauté, stirring often for 3 to 5 minutes then remove from the heat
Nutrition
The information listed in the recipe card is an estimate provided by an online nutrition tool. The tool evaluates ingredient names and amounts then makes calculations based on the number of servings listed for the recipe. It is provided as a general guideline and not as a precise calculation. For precise nutrition information please feel free to add the ingredients to your preferred nutrition calculator or consult a doctor or licensed nutritionist.
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Caitlin M Says
The marinated chicken thighs with bok Choy hit the spot! The meal was amazing. I served it with the coconut cauliflower rice .
Althea Brown Says
Thank you so much for sharing
Althea Brown Says
Yummy. Thanks for sharing